Big savings if Senate, House abolished, says poll lawyer
Aside from the partylist system, President Rodrigo Duterte should also abolish the Senate and House of Representatives, an election lawyer said.
Romulo Macalintal said if President Duterte really wants a “pro-Filipino” constitution that "would be responsive to the people’s will and without vested interests in Congress" he should scrap the legislative body.
Without Congress, the country would have an annual savings of 113.5 billion which is the budget of the Senate, Senate Electoral Tribunal, Commission on Appointments, House of Representatives, and the House Electoral Tribunal.
"If we try a government without Congress for even just six years we could have a huge savings of 166 billion which is enough to build modern transportation services in our country that could solve the almost unresolved daily monstrous traffic in Metro Manila," said Macalintal in a statement.
And if the pork barrel system will still be implemented under Duterte’s term, the combined allocation for the two houses comes to 125.8 billion, he said.
"If a Congressless government is adopted even for six years, it means we will have 1154.8 billion pesos additional funds for other infrastructure projects for the Filipino people," Macalintal said.
The lawyer suggested that the country stop copying forms of government of other countries and create a type of government that is really “pro-Filipino,” which we can call “Pilipinismo.”
"Under this form of government, we will have a President, a Vice-President, and the Legislature composed of Provincial Governors and Mayors of Highly Urbanized Cities, and the Supreme Court," said Macalintal.
"These local government officials (LGOs) are the very persons who know the kind of laws and projects needed in their areas. Why should a governor or mayor go to a senator or congressman just to change the name of a government hospital or undertake a project under their jurisdiction," he said.
Under “Pilipinismo” and with a credible President like Duterte, the LGOs could go directly to the President for the projects needed in their areas, Macalintal said.
The constitution should have a provision that the President could convene the LGOs as a legislative body in case there is a need to pass a national law, he said.
"As to check and balance, the new constitution could strengthen the powers and jurisdiction of the Ombudsman, Sandiganbayan and the Supreme Court where people could address their grievances or complaint against government officials," said Macalintal.
A government without Congress “could only be the best answer to President Duterte’s clarion call, dream and vision of a constitution that is representative of the people’s will and certainly no vested interest in Congress," he said.